Record-breaking start to the New Year on the road
- brian17harris
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
Linda Franks 5 miles
There was a good club turnout for more or less the first road race of the year, and it was particularly encouraging to see, in addition to the road race regulars who weren't injured some relatively new faces including husband and wife pair Jonathan Higgs/Amanda Naylor as well as Bill Leggate and fast-improving Clare Stickney.
Feedback was that it was a really friendly, well organised club race with great marshals and lovely cakes. Given last year’s V45 record for Kate Jacobs (plus see next) you can probably add “fast course” to that.
The standout performances this year were two new club age records.
· Bill Leggate knocked 34 seconds off his own club V45 record set 3 years ago at Highworth, to finish first V45 in 27.24 (5.29/mile). Bill was really happy that he felt strong with a good rhythm and able to push right to the finish. A fantastic start to the year.
· Not long into the FV65 category, Kate Kilby also set a new club record of 39:19 displacing Carol Clarke’s record from 2016 by a comfortable margin.
Congratulations also to our two other age-group medal winners - Kate Jacobs and Ruth Fulford.
The runbritain website is currently unavailable due to maintenance, so it’s not possible to confirm whether Clare Stickney’s impressive 6:34 mile pace was a PB for her.
There are more individual photos on the club whatsapp community (Races and Events)
1 Alex Lee (Western Tempo) 25.33
9 Bill Leggate (Cirencester AC) 27.24 – 1st V45, club V45 record
34 Kate Jacobs 29.47 – 6th lady / 1st FV45
72 Clare Stickney 32.51 2nd FV45
85 Charlotte Wilton 33.45
144 Kate Kilby 39.19 – 1st FV65, club FV65 record
162 Jonathan Higgs 41.13
202 Amanda Naylor 46.05
205 Pam Wheeler 46.52, 2nd FV70
255 Ruth Fulford 57.22 – 1st FV75
263 finished www.almostathletes.co.uk
Speedway 10k
Dave Bell started off his racing season at the Speedway 10k organised by Chepstow Harriers, on a flat two lap course explicitly designed for achieving PB times. Whilst still awaiting the official results, Dave’s unconfirmed 33:12 was very close to his recent best
“Very pleased with that run after not feeling at my best this week. Almost exactly the same time as Telford 10k last year. Might have snuck under 33min if I'd been 100% 🤷🏻♂️. Good race to kick off 2026 👊🏼”
For those of who who think in old money, Dave averaged around 5.20 per mile - great run Dave, off to a flying start.
UPDATE - RESULTS 8pm Sunday
RAre as hens teeth that Dave is lower than the top quartile in a race - showing the high quality of this event -
1 Felix McGrath (Bristol & West AC) 29.38
53 David Bell (Cirencester AC) 33.15
191 finished
************************PARKRUNS****************************
There were a few less members than usual running at Ciren (either volunteering or saving their legs for racing on Sunday), and no milestones or PB’s to report.
At Tetbury, Steve Hale was a full minute faster than last week, whilst Martin Croucher took it gently as he continues his comeback from quite a while off injured.
Rachel and Gordon Jones, away on one of their regular music “festival” weekends, took the opportunity to be run tourists at the local event at Minehead.
In terms of course feedback, Ian B mentions that the Brickfields Park event in Bath was using the Winter route on tarmac paths, just a bit crowded here and there and a slope or two for variety.
17 January 2026, parkruns, 5km trail
Cirencester: 8 Toby Conway (J) 21.58, 12 Simon Olney 22.10, 41 Rachel Ranger 24.21,
44 Rob Forbes 24.27, 65 Susanna Austin 26.38, 70 Alan McAdam 26.59,
85 Brendan McCarthy 27.34, 91 Poppy Graham (J) 27.58, 93 Bill Leggate 28.00,
98 Rachel McAdam 28.13, 148 Richard Edwards 30.53, 162 Kirsty Leggate 32.15, 231 finished.
Tetbury: 51 Stephen Hale 24.15, 235 Martin Croucher 39.28, 261 finished.
Swindon, Lydiard Park: 81 David Moss 23.40, 116 Corinne Clark 25.00, 510 finished.
Bath, Brickfields Park: 18 Ian Barrett 19.54, 310 finished.
Minehead: 66 Gordon Jones 29.41, 98 Rachel Jones 33.25, 163 finished.
Birmingham, Edgbaston Reservoir: 36 Casey Vatcher 21.07, 422 finished.